Casting has been announced for the upcoming reboot of Waterloo Road.
The BBC One school drama will return later this year having last aired in 2015.
Newly announced casting for the show includes actress and presenter Kym Marsh (Coronation Street, The Syndicate, Morning Live) as Nicky Walters, a mother to two pupils and school canteen worker.
Jo Coffey (EastEnders, The Witcher: Blood Origin) joins the school as Wendy Whitwell, PA to Headteacher Kim Campbell, while Vincent Jerome (Wonder Woman 1984, Transformers: The Last Knight) will play Lindon King, joint Deputy Head with James Baxter (Still Open All Hours, Alma’s Not Normal) cast as Joe Casey – also Deputy Head.
Sonia Ibrahim (Coronation Street, Whisky Cavalier) joins as Jamilah Omar, the school’s social worker, with Shauna Shim (Biff, Chip & Kipper, The Worst Witch) playing music teacher Valerie Chambers. Neil Fitzmaurice (Phoenix Nights, Peepshow) has been cast as Neil Guthrie, the school’s history teacher.
Head of English is Coral Walker, played by Rachel Leskovac (Coronation Street, Last Tango In Halifax) and Katherine Pearce (Rules of the Game, Three Girls) has been confirmed as Amy Spratt – an early career teacher.
The new faces join returning cast members Angela Griffin, playing headteacher Kim Campbell, Adam Thomas as Donte Charles and Katie Griffiths returning as Chlo Charles.
Meanwhile actors playing pupil characters have been announced as Adam Abbou (Time), joining the cast as Danny Lewis, Priyasasha Kumari (You Don’t Know Me) playing Samia Choudhry with Noah Valentine (The Bay) joining as Preston Walters.
Adam Ali (Little America) has been cast as Kai Sharif while Alicia Forde joins as Kelly-Jo Rafferty, Francesco Piacentini-Smith (Masters Of The Air) cast as Dean Weever, Liam Scholes (Coronation Street) as Noel McManus and Lucy Eleanor Begg as Caz Williams.
Scarlett Thomas – Adam’s niece and daughter of former Waterloo Road star Tina O’Brien – has been announced as Izzy Charles, playing daughter to characters Donte and Chlo Charles. Fellow junior student cast includes Summer Violet Bird playing Tonya Walters, Ava Flannery as Verity King, Thapelo Ray (Doctors) cast as Dwanye Jackson, Inathi Rozani (Biff and Chip) joining as Zayne Jackson, Chiamaka (ChiChi) Ulebor playing Shola Aku with Sahil Ismailkhil as Norrulah Ashimi – who was talent scouted following a production research trip to a local Leeds school.
Waterloo Road will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.
Kym Marsh said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the fabulous cast of Waterloo Road, it’s such a joy to get the opportunity to film in Manchester again and I can’t wait to get going!”
Executive Producer Cameron Roach added: “We’re incredibly excited to announce our new cast, and we believe that alongside the return of Kim Campbell we’re creating some new iconic characters for the next generation of Waterloo Road. We look forward to the audience joining them in the staff room.”
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